Month: May 2008

  • Behind Skyrocketing Oil Prices

    Yesterday comes the news that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is investigating potential manipulation of the oil trading market. That’s a good thing, though the CFTC is not exactly the most aggressive regulator around. (Says Judy Dugan of Consumer Watchdog: “On its face, the investigation smacks of the fox investigating a hen shortage in…

  • What To Do About the Price of Oil

    Is Big Oil ripping off consumers? Are Wall Street speculators manipulating oil markets? What should be done? Whether or not Big Oil is improperly restricting refinery capacity, whether or not Wall Street traders are driving up the traded price of oil to heights completely disconnected from supply-and-demand fundamentals, a few things are clear about gas…

  • Pharmaceutical Payola — Drug Marketing to Doctors

    Last week, a Congressional committee properly raked Big Pharma over the coals for misleading advertising of pharmaceuticals. A hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s oversight subcommittee focused on advertising campaigns for three drugs, including the remarkable case of Robert Jarvik. Jarvik is featured in endlessly re-run ads for Pfizer’s blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor.…